Letting Go
by Lover and Loser
Summary: The war is over and Konoha is moving on, everyone is moving, or at least trying to. However moving on, letting go of their pasts proves harder than Sasuke and Saukra thought. So when Sasuke returns temporarily to the village they try their best to forgive each other and themselves for everything that happened, and everything that didn't. But nothing is ever that easy.


Just the basics, this chapter is just me getting a feel for characters, there will be quite a few stories going on, and development. This is incorporating plot lines from the manga and anime, and my own spins and creative license. I will do my absolute best to make sure no one is OOC. But please feel free to comment and offer and kind of advice or criticism you may deem helpful. We'll see how this goes! I don't really have a plan, just an end result I want to happen. I should warn you this story will be far more romance based than action based, but there will be action, just not often nor in depth.

I don't own Naruto. This will follow the manga as much as I can, but creative license will be taken at times to make the story work as I want it too.

* * *

He sat hunched in the semi-dark room, bare shoulders awash in moonlight. There were no sounds, but even if there were he would not have noticed them. He stared down at his hand, unseeing, dark locks loose around his cheeks. What flashed before his eyes were images of laughter, gentle fingers pressing foreheads, and smiles, all bloody, all his fault. His hand shook for a mere moment, before it clenched. His back straightened, eyes lifted to the window, focusing on reality. He rarely allowed himself such moments of weakness, of self-pity. Such moments were dangerous, the reason he lost so much in the first place, such moments were the reason he almost lost so much more.

Running that very hand through his hair Sasuke Uchiha sighed, glancing at the bed behind him; sleeping was not something he liked to indulge in. Some had ventured to suggested this reason was because of nightmares or trauma, but in actuality it was mere stubbornness that kept him awake. Stubbornness and regret.

He owed debts to too many people, he had too much racing through his mind, too much time he had wasted on selfish endeavors. He could not bring himself to sleep comfortably most nights knowing what lay ahead of him, as well as what lay behind him. Usually he was able to drift off long enough to replenish his chakra and keep alert. But tonight he felt less of a need for either. He was in safe territory, a small village only a day away from Konoha, from his home. Or what he called home. What he wanted to call home.

His fingers twitched with an urge to touch something. To be useful. Rubbing his face he then grabbed a kunai from where it was bound to his ankle. He began to twirl it absentmindedly as he planned his day of traveling.

He could leave now and arrive early, but he knew he was not expected until mid afternoon, and despite his declared innocence for his numerous and treasonous acts against Konoha, any kind of unexpected action of his part would be met with resistance and distrust by some, if not most. Of the few times he had returned to his home village hidden in the leaves many a ninja and civilian had stared at him in either fury or fear. And while he was used to whispers, this time around it was different. For once he couldn't shake off this very blatant isolation, he couldn't blame it on the idiocy of his counterparts. Their words, their distrust, he could do nothing to stop them, nor fault their reasoning.

His grip on the kunai suddenly tightened and then relaxed before he tensed his arm to throw it at the wall. But he stopped himself, released another sigh and then laid it on the bed beside him. Anger no longer lasted within him. Instead the flashes subsided almost instantaneously with a calmness that had evaded him for years of his early youth. For once in his life he held no animosity for those that opposed him. For once, he understood and was patient. He would repay them all for his misconduct one day.

He flopped backwards of the bed, grabbing the kunai and slipping it beneath his pillow, forgetting he had already placed one there several hours earlier when he'd first attempted sleep. Staring at he ceiling he couldn't help a small smile as he thought of the orange clad idiot he knew would be waiting to greet him outside the Hokage's office. Naruto had a talent for finding out when Sasuke arrived in the village, even if Kakashi himself didn't know. His genuine grin, extended fist, and offer of ramen were Sasuke's favorite moments in his few and far between trips back to the village.

At 18, Sasuke still had very few friends. Not that he could honestly say he put much effort into making any. He cared only about the opinions of a select few, and even they were uncertain of Sasuke's feelings about them.

Sakura being prime example. Once again, the smile graced his lips as he thought of the pink haired kunoichi he'd long come to respect. No longer was she the weak, useless annoyance she had been. Though if Sasuke dwelled he'd long ago thought he not so much annoying, but more, in Shikamaru fashion, troublesome. Always trying so hard to grasp his heart in love, in friendship, in camaraderie. Little did she know she had succeeded in some respects.

Sakura was aware he no longer held any animosity towards her, even considered her someone of relevancy, but little did she know about the sheer amount of respect Sasuke actually held for her. Namely because Sasuke had never made an effort to make her aware of it. Nor did he feel the need to. His respect would do nothing for her, would make no difference in who she was, at least that's what he told himself. Guilt raged afresh in the pit of his stomach. For many years he had thought Sakura had revolved around him, and her desire to please him, impress him, and to win him. And while he was no longer so deluded, he knew the lame apology he had offered her would most likely never truly make up for the hurt he had caused. He had an inkling feeling that despite Sakura's friendly smiles and amicable chatter she would forever hold herself at arms distance from him, never quite forgiving him for the damage he cased to what was once Team Seven.

He couldn't blame her, no matter how much he begrudged himself to admit it, Sasuke's affection for Sakura ran just as deeply as his affection for Naruto. But while Naruto had never lost faith in him, Sakura had been the target of his animosity far more so, and thus could only be less forgiving.

Naruto had chastised him the last time they had spoken about this, claiming Sakura held no such grudges, and that it was Sasuke who was perpetuating the distance between them. But Sasuke was merely not trying to pretend he hadn't tried to kill her, and he figured that involved not being overtly friendly. He wouldn't be naive enough to think their friendship would remain untouched by his horrendous actions. He figured distance was the appropriate behavior post betrayal and attempted murder. But then again he doubted anyone knew the exact educate associated with his special breed of traitor and Sakura unique case of rejected friend and lover. If she could even count as that.

Sasuke frowned to himself, fist clenching painfully. He didn't know what Sakura classified as, if he was being honest with himself. She was his friend at one point he knew that, but he had done nothing to redeem that bridge he had so cruelly burned between them. She may not even want that title after all he had done. She was very capable now, no longer dependent on her teammates opinions to define herself. She didn't need to be, she had finally developed the confidence she had so lacked before. That and the fact the Sakura had simply grown up, just as he and Naruto had.

Closing his eyes Sasuke could still remember them all so clearly, the four of them just as they were depicted in the photo he brought with him everywhere. Young, naive, and his heart felt a slight pang for the children they left behind, though he knew that who they were now were far better by comparison. And as he dwelled on Naruto's booming shouts, Karachi's small chuckles, and Sakura's ever present footsteps behind him, he finally fell asleep, with the reaffirmed resolution that he would do everything in his power to protect them for the rest of his life.

* * *

At this very time in Konoha the darkened streets meant the opposite of rest for a young woman, the same age as Sasuke, and equally beautiful as the young male. Though she was far more aware and vocal about this beauty than most. At this time said beauty tripped delicately out of the bar she had stopped in earlier on her way home from the hospital. She has stopped there upon seeing some friends from her genin days and had only meant to have a single drink and few laughs. However her drinks and laughs had ended up rivaling each other in number and now she was pleasantly drunk. He friends had actually long since departed and left her behind to enjoy the company of Akito, her lovely lovely bartender. But even Akito had wanted to leave her, and leave he had.

Once again she was alone, which she unhappily noted to be a recurring theme in her life these days. She felt the familiar ache and anger rage in her stomach and blew out a breath of air in order to stave it off.

Standing outside the bar her hair glowed pink, just like her flushed cheeks. She sighed, pressing a hand gently to her forehead in feminine exasperation. She never knew if she loved or loathed being drunk, and seemed to try to figure out this conundrum by putting herself in this state far too often. She leaned against the establishments wall and attempted to stop the world from spinning around her. It was then that she spotted him. Tall, beautiful, and strikingly pale in the moonlight. Her body immediately tensed with anticipation.

"Sai!" She called softly, and the young ex-Root member seemed to be jolted out of whatever revelry he had been in. She knew he had just returned from a mission, his absence while not as glaringly obvious as other, had been noticeable. And now in the the dark streets and in the haze of sake the young kunoichi had no idea how she hadn't missed the mere sight of him. In fact she justified her drinking in that very sight by the fact that she was just now realizing she should appreciate it more. As her gaze flicked upwards, raking over his body in a way that was decidedly not innocent (though this was lost on Sai, which only seemed to encourage her behavior) she realized that his mouth, and those tasty looking lips, had been forming words.

"Huh?" She stared blankly at him, and then huffed as he flashed her that fake ass smile that meant he didn't know what to make of their current situation, or more acutely what to make of her current situation.

"I was just offering you a simple greeting," Sai said, fake smile still in place.

"Oh shut it Sai," She said, waving her hand dismissively and readjusting herself aghast the brick wall that was currently the only thing keeping her drunken body from falling to the ground. As laughed at her words, having come to understand sarcasm and figurative more thoroughly than he had in the past, and recognizing his friend meant him no ill will in her statement.

"Have you been drinking a lot? You seem unwell." He asked, still pleasantly, the fake smile decreasing in size slightly to something a little more genuine. The girl huffed, flushed cheeks growing more pink at his observation. She attempted to straighten herself only to stumbled forward slightly, as if to answer his earlier question. Sai stepped forwards gently and swiftly, looping an arm around her back, righting her and placing her against the wall with a small laugh at her expense.

Nonetheless his chuckle annoyed her, and passing a hand over her hair, she attempted to regain control over herself, over the situation, over whatever it was she felt like she wasn't controlling. So in a moment of pure instinct she pressed a hand onto her retreating arm, still him, and used the hand clutching at his chest previously for balance to bring him a little closer to him overly warm body.

"Sai," she said sweetly, noting the stiffness that this unfamiliar closeness triggered in him. She glanced up through her ashes at the much taller boy and felt that much needed control and power return to her and he shifted slightly in her grasp. But nonetheless he did not make to remove himself either, whether it was because he wanted to be there or because he didn't know if this was a social nicety he was unfamiliar with went left unasked.

"Sai," the young beauty repeated, and this time he glanced down at her in acknowledgement.

"Yes?" He said, in a fake sweetness to rival her own. It made her smirk a little at his brilliant poker face. That and the fact that she was thoroughly enjoyed the feel of his body heat so close to hers, and its contrast to the cool brick against her back. She rested her head on said wall, pulling the young artist forward little more to try and increase the pleasant heat.

"Have you ever been kissed before?" She asked demurely, letting the hand on his arm relax to stoke first his forearm and then his bicep, but keeping the other decidedly clutched on his front so that he could only move how she wanted him to.

Leave it to Sai to not e embarrassed by such a question. "No, I have not." Leave it to Sai to not be embarrassed by his answer. In fact he seemed to be growing comfortable in this position, having identified it, though mistakenly, as an acceptable embrace between friends. He even let his hand settle on the small of her back. Which did nothing for the desire that began quell inside her, though she wasn't sure how much of that fire was the sake, if she was being honest with herself.

"Well, don't you think you should have by now? I would think that kissing is entirely necessary in your studies of human interaction." The young woman smiled so sweetly up at him, that Sai, almost, almost, felt his heart flutter. His pinky slightly twitched, as if wanting to clutch that womanly body closer. It was the only sign that such a stunning smile may have affected him, and its movement went unnoticed by both teens.

"It was my understanding kissing was something to occur between two people that share a mutual affection and romantic attraction to one another." He replied to her thoughtfully, enjoying their stance that allowed to look down upon her pleasantly and see her face from an angle usually that went unexplored in his works. He made a mental note to sketch this moment later that night before he rested.

"And you haven't felt that with anyone?" She asked, and at this she unashamedly pulled him closer, her right leg was between his, her left thigh pressed on the outside of his right leg, their faces scant inches apart, her body was on fire, and Sai, well, even as her breath fanned deliciously along his collarbone and neck, seemed thoroughly unfazed and unresponsive.

"No," And though she knew that considering her antics this response should have frustrated or even insulted her, it actually only served to amuse her drunken self. The boy was utterly and completely dense. She shook her head with a small smile, how could someone so deadly be so equally stupid?

"What if I told you kissing doesn't have to mean all that complicated stuff." She asked, once again switching from seductress to friend, her constant shift between smiles and expressions confusing Sai, though he didn't like to show it.

However, he also couldn't resist voicing his confusion when it seemed to be pertinent to his studies, "Why wouldn't it? In my studies almost all observations have indicated as such."

Her response was filled with mirth and affection as her hand pulled him impossibly closer before smoothing out over his chest, his eyes watched her curiously.

"Sai, part of being human means being unpredictable, not abiding by rules, but," She straightened slightly, meeting his eyes more fully, and her voice softened to something that he found undeniably more pleasant than any other tone he had ever heard her use, "following your instincts, our fleeting wants and whimsies." Her eyes sparkled then and he understood what others meant more clearly when the called her one of Konoha's greater beauties.

"I don't quite understand." He admitted blankly, most of her explanation having completely mystified him, as most of this interaction had.

"You don't have to. Just think of this as me helping you for future studies and experiments, okay?"

It was now that the hand on his bicep tightened and the other slipped up and around his neck. He supposed he knew what she was going to do, he supposed he could have stopped her. But he in all honesty didn't really see a reason why he should. And if he had been more attuned to understanding himself he would've found that part of him didn't want to stop her.

But sadly he lacked those skills of self-awareness and therefore smile fakely, and met her darkened eyes as he said, "Okay."

Only to have her mouth drown out the rest the word and she finally, finally dragged him to her hungry lips.

Seeing as Sai had absolutely no idea what one was supposed to do in a kiss he decided upon the role of passive observer to gain information to be used in the future, just a she had suggested. This decision however meant he was merely being kissed and not responding at all, thus significantly decreasing the fun and enjoyability of the experience. In fact, his total lack of participation was making it slightly embarrassing.

A sudden flash of sober clarity hit her with this fresh wave of embarrassment, along with a heavy dose of guilt at having taken advantage of Sai's obliviousness and innocence, and so unsuccessfully at that. She pulled away, only a little clumsily. Sai remained silent and thoroughly intrigued by her actions and this new experience. But she had no intentions of sticking around the receive his criticism or answer his questions. The last thing she wanted to hear was Sai given her advice on kissing techniques.

Suddenly bed seemed like the best place to go.

"Well I hope that was helpful lover boy, I'll be seeing you around okay? Good night!" And as quickly as her inebriated body would let her she stumbled off down the street, thanking her lucky stars that Sai's etiquette was not yet refined enough to stop her from walking home drunk alone, not even bothering to follow her.

That thankfulness only lasted a few moments until she turned the corner and let our a string of expletives upon realizing she'd walked in the wrong direction and would most likely risk running into the artist ninja again if she turned around. Her pride could not withstand that experience at the moment, because however unaffected he may have been, she had enjoyed the one way kiss, though not much, much more than she had actually anticipated.

Sighing she cleared those thoughts to be suppressed more thoroughly when she was sober and dragged her suddenly very exhausted body towards the very familiar apartment down the street. She knew her teammate would be very annoyed to be awoken at three a.m., but would undoubtedly let her crash on his couch, as she had many a time before considering he lived only two blocks from their favorite bar.

Sure enough after only several minutes of increasingly loud banging and aggressive slurred threats of bodily harm did her favorite man open up his apartment to her. Or at least he opened the door, shirtless, hair a spiked mess around his head, and a sleepy glare directed at her as she shoved him aside and beelined straight for his sofa. She sighed happy as she popped herself onto it.

"Make me pancakes for breakfast Shika," The blonde said, grabbing the blanket from his messy floor and snuggling into the cushions.

"Make them yourself Ino. You're so troublesome." She smiled as she almost instantaneously passed out.

* * *

Back in front of the bar Sai still stood in the glow of the establishment's florescent red sign. He stared down as his hand, the sign's light making his pale hand glow pink. He turned it over and curiously inspected the palm that had served him so dutifully over the years. And though the blonde kunoichi had be too drunk and embarrassed by her antics to pay mind to anything besides her escape, Sai's hand unconsciously tightening on her waist before he'd let her go had not escaped him. Never before had it acted on it's own, so, so instinctively. He let a small smile grace his lips as he decided that his hand had surely be following instincts, just as Ino had said he should. He would have to thank her for her help the next time he saw her.

No matter how skeptical he had been, as it were, it seemed Ino had been a wonderful mentor.

* * *

Naruto swayed calmly back and forth on the balls of his feet. Though he no longer had the unending energy of his youth he was often unable to keep himself still. On what was once his right hand he absentmindedly spun a necklace. It was Sakura's, loaned to Hinata from some unknown occasion, and thus given to the latter's fiancé to be returned. He had meant to earlier, but before he'd even managed to make it halfway to the hospital he'd felt him; Sasuke, or his chakra that is. He'd always had an affinity to sense the guy's chakra from miles away, more acutely than anyone else. Naruto attributed this to the bastard just being plain obnoxious down to his very chakra levels.

Nonetheless about an hour earlier he'd immediately changed route to fly through the window leading into Kakashi's office. "That bastard's almost here Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi had sighed as papers flew every which way. "You knew he was coming Naruto," He said patiently not even glancing at the blonde with his one eye.

Naruto smiled his fox-like grin, "Yeah, yeah, but come on, you can't blame me for being excited, that asshole has no idea what he's in for!" By 'in for' Naruto was referring to the Uchiha's newest mission (of which he'd be Team Leader), and just thinking of it made his eyes glitter with anticipation.

After casting an annoyed glance around his now messier than usual office, Kakashi's eye crinkled with a large fake grin, "With the way you're going on about it Naruto, I would guess your excitement is a little more than platonic."

Naruto balked, falling face first completely off the chair he had perched himself on. "Kakashi-sensei, you- you can't be serious? I'm engaged! To a girl! That-that bastard isn't even, he-!" Nature was sputtering with indignation and embarrassment, though to be honest this wasn't the first time someone had suggested there were homoerotic undertones to he and Sasuke's relationship. It was a sore spot for both teens, so much so that it took Naruto almost a full minute of incoherent babbling to realize Kakashi was poking fun at him.

Said man was chuckling softly as he slowly stamped mission orders, enjoying Naruto's obvious embarrassment.

The younger man pouted, returning to his seat, "It's not funny sensei, people actually believe we're a couple, and it's insulting." He cracked a grin, "I could do way better than Sasuke."

"I'm sure you could Naruto," Kakashi said in a voice that said the opposite, as he released yet another chuckle. But his attention was once again diverted by his tasks, and Naruto, sensing that his sensei wasn't going to be a suitable companion to share his enthusiasm with, decided instead to entertain himself until Sasuke's arrival.

He stood stretching, glancing around the office before grabbed a ball off of a shelf. He gave it a good squeeze, and recognizing it to be sturdy, began to bounce it off of the walls, more to annoy Kakashi than for any real purpose. Despite having matured over the years Naruto never failed to retaliate against those who tried to tease him, and his Hokage was not excluded.

As minutes passed Naruto worried the receptive noise wouldn't grate on his sensei, and he therefore he may have to change tactics. After all Kakashi's even temper and patience were legendary. But once the first photo fell to the ground the blonde began to see the older man's famed patience finally beginning to wear with a subtle twitch of his eyebrow.

Naruto grinned, angling the ball a little more purposefully towards the bookshelf he had retrieved it from. With a little more force than his previous throws he threw it decisively. It thudded soundly against the covers of some old historical books. At the sound, Kakashi momentarily lifted his eyes, they were definitely displeased.

Naruto couldn't help but grin his fox-like grin at the success.

However it was short lived for Kakashi recognized Naruto's antics faster than anyone and would not offer the boy satisfaction with a greater reaction if he could avoid it. But Naruto had anticipated this on the part of the the Copy Ninja. In fact those books were merely a stepping stone to his true target, the shelf two below them, which held numerous orange and green covered books. These ones were well tended to and the Hokage had utterly forbidden anyone from touching them.

Once the ball thumped a shelf lower, Karachi understood the intention linked to Naruto's aim and his knuckles clenched hard around the stamp.

"Naruto," he said warningly.

"Hm?" Naruto flexed his fingers around the recently caught ball as he rolled his neck slowly to flash his sensei that fox-like grin once more.

"Don't." Was all the Hokage said, eye narrowing dangerously.

"Don't what Lord Hokage?" Naruto cackled, pulling his arm back slowly, gathering chakra into his arm he knew Kakashi could see, enough chakra to destroy at least two of his precious Icha Icha.

"Naruto-!" The ball shot from his fingers at a speed almost as fast lightning, but lightning was one of Kakashi's specialties and he was faster. He moved quickly in front of the bookcase and caught the ball with a ferocity that caused Naruto's grin to go from fox-like to sheepish.

"Out." Karachi grumbled, gripping the ball tightly in his palm.

"Aw, come on sensei, I was kidding around, you know you deserved it." Naruto said, flopping back into his seat. Kakashi raised his eyebrow, and with a blank face crushed the dense rubber ball in his hand. The implication was clear as day even if the older man's face was decidedly stoic as he dropped the carcass of what was once a ball to the floor.

Immediately Naruto sprung up, laughing nervously as he stretched his arms behind his head. "I'll just hang around outside until the bastard gets here actually. You seem pretty busy, sensei."

And without making eye contact with Kakashi he quickly disappeared out the door he had earlier ignored, whistling jovially as he went in a failed attempt to show Kakashi he wasn't intimidated, but merely choosing to leave of his own volition out of boredom.

And thus how he ended up in the roof of the Hokage tower, idly twirling a necklace and eyes glued on the direction of the gates through which Sasuke would be coming through in less than ten minutes. The chakra presence was so strong at this point Naruto couldn't help but smile. Usually Sasuke masked it, but when he arrived at Konoha he always let it flare to life so that guards would know of his presence and not feel threatened. The Uchiha made strong efforts to not step on any toes or unsettle anyone whenever he came to the village, at least not in the manner of being threatening. There was nothing Sasuke could do about his crap personality and just being an overall bastard. The stark difference between the selfish brat who'd abandoned Konoha and the cautious ninja who constantly returned made Naruto's smile broaden. He took pride in the man his best friend had become.

* * *

For what seemed like ages Sakura and Shizune had been researching, practicing, and perfecting a new form of poison extraction that was more time efficient and far less painful. Their research had successfully concluded earlier that month and clearing out the workspace they'd co-inhabited for seven months was bitter sweet.

"Are you excited for today?" Shizune asked Sakura as the two worked seamlessly in tandem to clean the lab.

But at her question Sakura's back stiffened. Everyone in Konoha knew Sasuke returned today, Naruto had made sure of it. He practically had screamed it from the rooftops when Kakashi has first sent out the scroll. And with Sasuke's return came not so subtle winks and nudges from Naruto, averted eyes from Hinata, sighs from Kakashi, and pitying grins from Ino; and that was only a fraction of it.

"I don't know what you're talking about Shizune." Sakura snapped, agitated that she couldn't escape people's rumors and assumptions in the workplace about her (very infuriatingly still real) unrequited love for Sasuke.

"Really?" Shizuen now turned to really look at her; flushed cheeks, grit teeth, steely gaze, and all.

She crossed her arms, frowning slightly, "I'm surprised Sakura, you're not one to forget something like this."

At Sakura's silence she continued, "In fact I thought this was a very important day for you."

This pushed Sakura back into motion and she began to toss books viciously into the box between her feet. "Why on earth would it be important to me? Why does everyone think that?" Her pink locks whipped violently as she practically spat at Shizune. She was very tired of everyone thinking Sasuke mattered so much to her. He was less a friend, more a teammate, nothing else, there was nothing else anymore. Her heart squeezed painfully in her annoyance.

Shizune merely quirked an eyebrow, a know look gleaming in her eyes.

"Well I guess it isn't a huge deal, but it is impressive that you are the youngest medic to ever be included in the Hokage's Library, to be included in a sacred scroll is extremely important Sakura. You shouldn't take it so lightly."

Sakura's frustrated flush blossomed into a humiliating blush and she tried to back track stupidly. "Oh. Um, right, I'm, I'm so sorry Shizune."

She sighed, shoulders drooping, and ran a hand through her hair. She;d made a fool of herself she knew, but no harm was really done. Sakura chuckled a little at her childishness. "I am actually very honored. Especially considering it was only a small contribution. I did very little besides hold basins and wipe your brow."

"Don't belittle your work Sakura. You an I both know that your countless hours of research made the hybrid treatment possible for poison victims, and soon enough you'll be performing it solo as well."

"Thank you so much for that Shizune. I can only hope to live up to that."

Shizune smiled softly at her, and reaching out squeezing Sakura's shoulder firmly, "I have utter faith in you Sakura..." Shizune's hand lingered and Sakura's ears burned to match her cheeks knowing there was more coming. "You thought I was speaking about something else originally weren't you though?"

Sakura chuckled once again, attempting to sidestep the older medic. "I'm sorry I was a little rude wasn't I? It was nothing, it's just that Naruto was bothering me last night and put me on edge."

"About Sasuke Uchiha?" Shizune asked softly, watching the pink haired girl's reaction carefully. Though she knew she no longer mooned after the boy like she once had, Shizune knew Sakura still harbored some kind of feelings for him. What kind of feelings, of love or hate or heartbreak, she was unsure.

"Well..."She had a feeling Sakura was unsure as well.

"Sakura, are you concerned about Sasuke's return? You tend to become a little tense whenever he's in the village." Shizune was fishing, she knew it, but she couldn't stop herself. What exactly was it about the Uchiha boy that rattled Sakura so much?

Sakura sat on a stool, and twirled a lock of hair around her index finger. After several moments of silence she locked her gaze onto the other woman's. She had decided to share the truth of her insecurity: "To be honest Shizune, it's not that I'm unhappy or happy that he comes. It's more that the entire village, especially Naruto, seem to be waiting for some fort of declaration of love or war or something from one of us. And I'm not a fool. I have long outgrown whatever fantasies I used to have about he and I, I've even forgiven him as much as I think I will ever be able to, it's just, I don't know..."

Sakura grumbled inaudibly for a moment, trying to figure out a way to explain how Sasuke's return always made her feel less like an adult in the eyes of others, as if his presence made it impossible for others to respect her. How the fact that she still loved him after all this time, after every rejection and betrayal, made it near impossible to respect herself at times.

"I feel like whenever Sasuke comes back people take me less seriously. I feel like he doesn't take me seriously. As soon as he steps foot in this village everyone sees me as that blundering twelve year old in love again. It's infuriating." She huffed slightly, feeling a little relieved and yet also unsatisfied by her explanation, knwoing it was only half the truth.

Shizune, for her part could only smile and shake her head. "Sakura, I think you may be a bit paranoid."

"Maybe." Sakura replied with a small smile, wanting the conversation to end.

"Oh well, you're probably right, but it doesn't change the fact that dealing with Sasuke and Naruto simultaneously is exhausting." Both women laughed and turned back to their task, both with the understanding that Sakura had not said all she had needed to say about Sasuke Uchiha.

* * *

Well, let me know what you think! This is my first piece so any commentary is welcome!

The next chapter will be Sasuke's arrival and Naruto both telling him about his mission and also laying into him about how he treats Sakura.


End file.
